MALE: The sleepy Maldives, best known as a tropical luxury hideaway for Hollywood stars, holds its first multiparty elections this week in a vote that will see Asias longest-serving ruler face competition.

This Wednesday's vote is a culmination of years of agitation for democratic reforms on the archipelago of 1,192 islands located 800km off the southern tip of India.

After 30 years in power, President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, 71,will stand against five other candidates in what diplomats hope will be an example of a peaceful and fair democratic election in a Muslim majority nation. Many critics say Gayoom has ruled the nation of 300,000 mostly Sunni Muslims like a sultan of old, which resulted in civil unrest in 2003 that prompted a crackdown but eventually spurred a host of reforms.

With such a small population of voters-209,000-spread over 200 islands, the poll seems more like a vote for a city mayor than for a national leader. But for Maldivians, the stakes are high. "I feel very anxious about the elections. Its as if were deciding who should be king? I dont think Maumoon is our king any more," security guard Aarisha Ibrahim, 25,said.

Ceding to years of pressure, Gayoom in August signed a new constitution into effect which established an independent electoral commission and judiciary.
Source : DNA